Reductions to disability benefits? We’re watching the budget

Sense along with the National Deaf Children’s Society, Blind Children UK and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) are very concerned about potential reductions to disability benefits ahead of the budget statement on the 8th July.

We know that the Government wants to save £12 billion from the welfare bill. We are really worried about the impact this will have on families with children with sensory impairments, many of whom rely on disability benefits to help them meet the additional costs of raising a child with a disability. We are asking you to take action and call on the Government to protect benefits for children with sensory impairments.

What the Prime Minister has said:

Stephen Timms MP recently asked the Prime Minister if he would ‘confirm the commitment he made during the election that there will be no cuts in the benefits paid to disabled people.’

The Prime Minister’s response was as follows:

“What we have actually done is to increase the benefits paid to disabled people by bringing in the personal independence payment, which is more generous to those who are most disabled. May I say how much I enjoyed meeting the right hon. Gentleman during the general election when we both addressed the Festival of Life in the ExCeL centre in his constituency? I do not know about him, but it is certainly the only time in my life that I have talked to 45,000 people at the same time, and I suspect the same goes for him.”

We are extremely worried that the Prime Minister did not confirm his previous commitment that there will be no reduction to benefits for disabled people. We are also aware that Personal Independence Payments (the benefit replacing Disability Living Allowance for 16 – 65 year olds) has not been more generous for some young people with sensory impairments.

It is vital to take action now before the budget statement on the 8th July. Email your MP to ask the Chancellor to ensure benefits for children with sensory impairments are protected in the upcoming budget!

Although this action is specifically about benefits for disabled children, we will be monitoring situation and if necessary campaigning to protect benefits for deafblind adults later this year.